In the Event of a Wide-Scale Or Pandemic Illness Critical School Employees Could Be Absent

In the event of a wide-scale or pandemic illness critical school employees could be absent for days, weeks or months. This failing of the human infrastructure will challenge the continuity of operations and services because there will not be enough substitutes for absent employees. Site administrators must consider how to carry on school operations without, for example, their Payroll Clerk, Plant Manager, Cafeteria Manager, Coordinator or Assistant Principal. Every school should have a plan to make sure that the important tasks normally preformed by these critical employees can still be done while they are absent. School sites are asked to designate at least two people who have been cross-trained on basic operations to fill in for missing co-workers.

To assist in the planning process schools can use the attached computer file entitled: Continuity-of-Service Plan Template. Once the template has been filled out for a critical employee the form should be saved and printed out to go in the Safe School Plan, Volume 2 binder.

1. Open the Word Document: Continuity-of-Service Plan Template.doc

1. Enter your school/site name.

1. Enter the name and title of the first employee. Example: Bob Jones – Plant Manager. All the rest of the critical functions listed on this page will be for this employee.

1. Under the first Critical Function, enter that specific task or activity. Example: Open school by 6:30 am. It may be helpful to enter the critical functions onto the form in chronological order.
2. Under Back-up #1, enter the name of the person who has been designated and trained to cover that task.

1. Enter the Contact number for Back-up#1.

1. Under Back-up#2, enter the name of a second person who has been designated and trained to cover that specific task.

1. Enter the Contact number for Back-up#2.

1. Enter the keys that any Back-up would need to complete that task successfully.

1. Under Special Instructions, enter any and all important facts or standards for the successful completion of the task. Enter as much information as necessary; the form will expand to your needs. Schools are encouraged to include the name of any off-campus supervisor and their contact number so that substitutes can call for support and guidance.

1. Complete the same process for the other Critical Functions performed by that employee.

1. Save the document using either the name of the employee or their title. The file should be available in the event the person is absent for a prolonged period. Include any schedules for when specific tasks must be completed and any documentations or pictures that would be of assistance to the substitute. Print out a copy for your safe school plan Volume 2.